The Vampire Princess
by JasonOrangeForever
Summary: My name is Lucy. I was a full vampire - blooded by Seba Nile and loyal friend of Larten Crepsley. Larten, Vancha March and I were on a quest to kill the Vampaneze Lord known as Steve but then our plans changed. I was... different to most vampires - I had a gift. I was the Vampire Princess. (Some spoilers for DSS & LCS) (Sequel to my FanFic - 'When Larten Met Lucy')
1. The Journey Begins

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of Darren Shan's characters or work so infragmentation to copyright is accidental._

_I only own the charcater of Lucy._

* * *

Larten was leaving Vampire Mountain for good, his delicate crimson cape breezed through the air as he stepped out into the open and caught the chill across his face. I ran after him as fast as I could, flitting through the tunnels until I reached him, standing by his side as I always did. He stared past his shoulder at me and frowned weakly, the scar creasing up on his face as he sighed and started to progress forward.

"You are not coming with me Lucy." He mumbled cruelly, spitting back at the ground by my feet.

"I have always come with you and now is no exception, Larten." I called, catching up to him again. Even if Darren didn't, I'd always called him Larten rather than Mr Crepsley. "You may not realise it but sometimes you need someone to stop you from doing something stupid and you know I would take your place if I had to - to die for you."

Then he spun around swiftly and stared me straight in the face, his solemn frown and vicious red eyes piercing the inside of me but I wasn't going to back down.

"Larten, I am coming with you whether you like it or not. Darren would be a bad idea: yes but me - you have nothing to worry about, I am a full vampire and I can take care of myself." I shouted, pushing past him with my shoulder to face Vancha March, the green haired prince who'd always accompanied us. "Do not say anything." I signed angrily, walking past Vancha with a hand raised as he laughed softly at me.

"It is not often you stand up to the big guy." Vancha smiled cockily and I smiled up at him as we walked together through the crisp winter snow which lay beneath our feet. I gazed back at Larten who was pacing through the snow and looking glummer than ever, his hands deep in the pockets of his trousers and the red cape trailing behind him.

"Stop sulking, you know you will not get me to go back." I laughed before turning back and continuing the walk with Vancha. Suddenly I heard someone begin to flit and a shout came from Larten.

"Lucy!" He cried desperately.

Before I could turn around, someone flew into me, pushing me back against a tree as I crashed into it with a thud.

"Hello pretty girl." It was Murlough, a henchman of the evil Steve Leonard. He gripped a hand tightly around my neck which choked me and the other hand was facing towards me like a dagger, his nails pointed forward to slice as vampires and vampaneze did, using the hands as a weapon.

"Murlough." I wheezed, trying to break free and claw at his hand. From the corner of my eye I could see more of them appearing, some were taking on Vancha who was throwing shurikens at them and a large crowd facing off against Larten. "Vancha!" I shouted weakly, looking worriedly at him as Murlough tightened his grip slightly more around my neck: he could have killed me there and then if he wanted to. Vancha looked over at me quickly and his mouth dropped in shock before he mowed down the vampaneze around him as fast as he could, throwing shurikens or stabbing the closer enemies with his hands.

"Murlough!" A female voice screamed behind us and Murlough gazed behind his shoulder at her. Whilst he was distracted, I kicked him hard in the stomach and he doubled over, causing him to release me from his grasp and I dropped to the cold ground. I struggled on the floor for a while, grasping at my neck and trying to breathe properly before Vancha threw a shuriken at Murlough. It pierced him and he fell lower, the deep red blood pouring out of him like a waterfall. In no time, he let out a fierce cry before dropping dead to the ground. Vancha ran over and crouched by me, helping me up and examining the battle around us. He held onto me closely, pushing me slightly behind him to protect me from the vampaneze that were beginning to circle us.

The woman who had shouted was none other than Arra Sails - a past mate of Larten's and one of the very few female vampires in the mountain. She was also the one who had trained me on the bars and in combat. Arra ran forward, working in unison with Vancha and Larten to kill the enemies around us. The battle had died down pretty quickly with the vampires fighting together. Then Vancha picked up my face with one of his hands.

"Lucy." He whispered and I looked at him with a weak smile, "are you okay?" He ran his fingers softly across the red flesh on my neck and I nodded before my eyes shot up to Arra and Larten who had come over from killing all the vampaneze that hadn't flitted away.

"Lucy, I saw Murlough attack you, are you alright?" Arra asked me concerned as Larten stood behind her, his hand on his forehead worriedly and looking at the ground.

"I am okay." I smiled at her, holding my neck with a hand. Then I walked over to Larten, placing a hand on his arm as he looked up at me. "You look troubled my good friend."

"I _am_ troubled; you could have been killed then if Vancha did not come to save you. I just do not want you to come with us because I do not want that to happen." He sighed, still looking down at the ground.

"You worry too much, Larten, I will be fine just please let me come." I pleaded him.

"We are going off to find Steve, it is too dangerous. What if one of them did what Murlough did to you, and Vancha or I are not there to stop them?" He gazed up at me, his eyes looking straight into mine, waiting for an answer to his sinister question.

"Then I will stay strong, I will find a weapon and defend myself." I replied courageously.

"She is ready, Larten, she is willing." Arra shouted to us and I looked at him, seeing his considering face.

"Are you sure you can do this?" Larten said, taking a short dagger out from his cape.

"Of course, Arra and Vanez have trained me enough to face them." I nodded as Vancha stood next to us now.

"You have been trained by Vanez?" Vancha questioned. Vanez was the teacher and trainer for whoever attempted the 'trials of initiation' or better known as the 'trials of death.'

"In his spare hours." I answered as I looked to Vancha before feeling something being placed into my hand. Larten had his hands curled over mine and released them to reveal the dagger which he had given to me. "Wow." I whispered, gripping the leather handle.

"Your weapon of choice I believe." He smiled and I continued to gaze mesmerized at the dagger which Larten had fought some many foes with - it was something of a living relic. He was right, the dagger was my weapon of choice and I did love using them like Vancha loved his shurikens.

"Thank you, Larten." I cooed, gripping it and swinging it around me skilfully as the men backed away to give me more room. Then I placed the dagger into the pocket in my cape - I'd copied some of my fashion from my blooder: Larten, wearing a tight, deep purple dress which fanned out at the sides into a navy blue flowing cape. I grabbed Vancha's hand and ran forward, laughing as he did with our capes blowing in the breeze. "Come on you! We have a mission to complete." I called back to Larten happily who waved goodbye to Arra and ran close behind us. Our journey was about to begin and never did I imagine what happened next.


	2. The Vampire Princess Is Revealed

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of Darren Shan's characters or work so infragmentation to copyright is accidental._

_I only own the character of Lucy._

* * *

The three of us stumbled through the blinding snow storm which whipped deadly shards into our faces, not having mercy for any of us. We held our capes closely and wrapped them tightly around our bodies, trying to stay warm as we trudged through the never ending wilderness. Larten walked just behind us as Vancha had decided to lead us to the cave which we knew Steve and his minions would be situated.

"Vancha, are you sure you know the way?" I shouted as my voice was carried away on the wind.

"Of course I do, it should not be far from here." He yelled back to me and stopped to wait for me and Larten to catch up, not wanting the three of us to be separated amongst the continuous storm. "You look freezing." Vancha said softly as I came touching distance to him. He removed from him, a coat of animal skin which he had made and wrapped it tightly around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him for warmth as we continued to walk forward.

It only seemed like a few minutes had passed since then, before I looked behind to see nothing but white and no figure of the red dressed vampire to be seen.

"Larten!" I screamed into the air, hoping that he would appear soon. I searched around endlessly, turning my head quickly in all directions in hope that he would show. "Larten!" I screamed again into the distance as Vancha stood restless by my side, also shouting his name at the air. "Show yourself my friend." I whispered to myself and Vancha stood on full alert, fearing for any attackers. Then out of the white, came a red figure, striding towards us with pride.

"You were right Vancha, we are close. They are all around us, be careful." Larten called as he approached us and we gazed at him in relief. I looked down and his hands were covered in fresh blood, the blood of vampaneze. I ran a hand over the blood cautiously and Larten nodded, knowing that I knew what was around us. The three of us stuck close together, no longer caring about being warm, just being wary of vampaneze who could come out of the snow. We were like sitting ducks and we paced shoulder to shoulder with each other, watching for any sign of activity or a cave nearby.

Finally, I spotted a large crumbling cavern ahead of us, guarded all around by vampaneze. They stood at the foot of it, around it and even perched on top of it and I looked at Larten and Vancha worriedly. I still strode forward until Larten held out his arm in front of me, halting me and Vancha before the cave.

"Charna's guts! They _are_ everywhere, how are we even supposed to make it inside this place alive?" Vancha mumbled to us and I walked forward carefully.

"Lucy, get back!" Larten hissed at me and I gazed at the two vampires who seemed afraid to approach any closer. I reached the foot of the cave and all of the vampaneze crouched in waiting around me, either licking their lips or laughing at me, mocking me with their bloodthirsty grins. Standing reaching distance from me was Morgan James - a vampet.

"Morgan." I nodded carefully and he smiled at me viciously, the left side of his face still shredded and falling to pieces since a police officer named Alice had shot him in the face. A man came out of the cave and stood by Morgan. It was Gannen Harst - Vancha's brother.

"Are the others going to come forward or are they too scared?" Gannen laughed at me and I looked back at them, seeing Larten striding forward and Vancha not far behind. Morgan and Gannen turned away from us and walked back into the cave, some of the other vampaneze trailing behind and the three stood close together.

"You have some nerve to stand up to them like that." Vancha whispered to me before walking ahead and into the cave. I breathed deeply, preparing myself for what came next and Larten placed his hand on my shoulder.

"This is it, are you sure you can do this?" He asked me as we began to pace forward, "you can turn back now if you want."

"Not now, I have come too far to turn around." We stood at the foot of the cave, seeing nothing but taunting blackness inside. The cave seemed much larger on the inside and it was covered with vampaneze. In the middle, was a huge coffin of fire, burning even from the outside and suddenly it swung open, revealing Steve. Whoever could survive the burning coffin would be The Lord of the Vampaneze, so many had died trying but then there was Steve.

"Oh look! If it isn't creepy Crepsley and his worthless minions." Steve jeered, stepping towards us with Morgan, Gannen and R.V standing by his side. I started to move forward, feeling the blood boil within me with the rage to kill Steve but Larten halted me back as I drew out the dagger. "Pathetic, scared to fight me Crepsley? Because I know your lady friend isn't. Come on, give me all you got!" He laughed at us but Larten still held his arm in front of me and I looked at him with anger.

"Larten!" I hissed at him, wanting him to let me pass so I could get my hands on Steve.

"He is too strong for you." Larten whispered softly and I growled under my breath, looking at Steve and his sinister smile.

Then the vampaneze began to circle around us and swiftly, Vancha commenced fighting, throwing his shurikens in all directions or slashing at the enemies.

"Stay away from Steve." Larten spat before joining Vancha in the battle. I stood in the centre, face to face with Steve.

Suddenly, stakes started forming all around me from out of the ground and I was pushed into the centre next to the coffin. Steve and I were standing opposite each other, surrounded by a large circle of tall stakes and the coffin sat in the middle, separating us. Its flames grew larger and eventually spread onto the stakes, causing me to be trapped with Steve amongst a ring of fire. I panicked, searching around endlessly for an exit but couldn't see one.

Larten and Vancha had come over, staring wide eyed on the outside of the ring.

"Lucy!" Vancha called worriedly as he tried to find a way to get to me. I closed my eyes, realising this was the end and whispered to myself.

"Even in death may you be triumphant." I opened my eyes to see Steve charging towards me, jumping over the coffin and standing reaching distance from me. Then I began to slash at him with the dagger, missing every time until I was pushed to the edge of the circle, a fire lit stake close by me. Larten and Vancha ran around the circle desperately until finding no way to get to me, Vancha reached his hand through a small gap in the fire, holding onto my hand as the tears began to well up in my eyes. "Goodbye Vancha." I whispered, turning back to Steve who just laughed at the scene of affection. "Goodbye Larten." I called to my dear friend who stood by Vancha, "take care of Darren; he will be a strong vampire one day." Vancha gripped my hand tighter as I tried to walk forward and face my death but I slipped out of his grasp and looked sadly at his heartbroken face. "I am sorry." I cried as I began to walk forward and face Steve.

Suddenly, Steve pulled me forward and I fell into the coffin, the fire pulsing through my body as Vancha screamed out to me. Steve laughed mockingly and walked away with Gannen, the stakes dropping into the ground, leaving the cave how it looked as we entered it.

"Lucy!" Vancha called worriedly as the two of them ran towards me. He fell to his knees and tried to reach into the fire to pull me out but only screamed and pulled back as it singed his hands.

"Vancha, I am sorry. I know you had strong feelings for her but please do not cause yourself pain." Larten whispered as he sat next to his friend.

Strangely, the fire hadn't burnt me at all, I could hear everything they were saying as if I was just lying down in a normal coffin. Could it be? Was I the legendary Vampire Princess? Stories had told of a full female vampire who could survive the coffin of flames that the Vampaneze Lord could survive. She would be known as the Vampire Princess and could be the only one to defeat Steve.

"I..." Vancha paused, looking at my face, neither of them realising that I was still alive. "I loved her Larten, she was brave, strong and fearless and I really loved her."

I felt touched and decided not to cause Vancha anymore pain by thinking I was dead, so sat up as the flames followed me forward. They both jumped back in shock and I smiled at them softly, standing up and climbing out of the coffin where the flames immediately disappeared.

"You...but...how?" Vancha stuttered and I started to laugh at their baffled faces.

"You are...the Vampire Princess!" Larten called happily and I skipped to him and hugged him tightly as we laughed together.

"I am the Princess." I whispered in his ear as he span me around before placing me down and looking me straight in the eyes. "I am the only one who can kill Steve."

"Precisely." He nodded sadly and I looked over at Vancha who seemed rather embarrassed.

"You heard all of that, did you not?" He mumbled with a hand on the back of his head. I nodded with a cheeky smile and walked over to him.

"Is it true?" I asked even though I already knew the answer.

"Well, um..." He struggled to find the words and I raised an eyebrow, knowing that he would find the words eventually. "Yes." He whispered quietly and I hugged him tightly as he burrowed his head into my shoulder and I heard the faint sound of him crying into me. "I thought you were dead." He whimpered and I patted his back softly.

"I am fine." I whispered and gazed over at Larten who was smiling at us proudly.

"Come on you two, we have to return to the mountain and tell Paris about your little gift." Larten called and I pulled away from Vancha, smiling at him lovingly as he picked up my hand and kissed the back of it.

"You are going to learn to shower first!" I laughed and ran for the exit as Vancha shouted after me and began to chase me through the cave. The three of us were returning to the mountain and then we had to track down Steve again. The adventure continued.


	3. Leaving Without Vancha

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of Darren Shan's characters or work so infragmentation to copyright is accidental._

_I only own the character of Lucy._

* * *

"I thought you were not going to return to Vampire Mountain, Larten?" I called to him as he stood at the foot of the mountain, waiting for me and Vancha to approach.

"Well now I have a reason." He replied and the three of us ventured inside.

"What about Darren? He will see you return and want to come with us this time seeing as you left without telling him." I asked as we walked through the darkness of the tunnels leading to the inside.

"I never thought about that." He cursed under his breath and I smiled as we were greeted with the warm glow of flickering lights and vampires scattered around the great hall.

"You have retuned at last, Larten!" Seba Nile boomed as he stood in front of the three of us, "and what news do you bring? Is the Vampaneze Lord dead?"

"Not yet Seba but we have found the Vampire Princess." Larten beamed happily and the quartermaster gazed at us in shock.

"Did you not bring her?" Seba asked confused and Larten rested his eyes on me.

"At your service." I smiled as I bowed in front of Seba and held my position for a while, bowing my head before looking up and raising an eyebrow at him.

"Well I never." He breathed heavily and I stood back up in the normal position, smiling proudly as Larten did. "I do not know what to say, Lucy but I must tell the princes at once!" With that, Seba turned away from us and walked over to Paris, Mika and Arrow who were stood together in the corner of the room and immediately they all looked over at me, Mika for once smiling softly along with his fellow princes.

"I think you have made quite an impression for yourself." Larten whispered to me as the princes strode over.

"It is great news that the princess has been named but what should we call you now - your majesty?" Paris smiled as the three of them bowed in unison in front of me.

"I do not want to be any state above you Paris, just call me by my name and the princess by my rank."

We'd settled back down in the mountain for two nights and the next night I had decided to see Vancha so started to walk to his room in the dead of daylight, hoping I wouldn't wake anyone. As I approached closer, I saw what almost made me sick at the foot of his door. It was him - and Arra. I hid beside the door to stop them from seeing me and listened into the conversation with a spinning head.

"Are you sure Lucy will not know, I mean, I thought you liked her?" Arra whispered as she lay with Vancha, "she is...special, she is the princess."

"Hey listen, she is not as special as you are to me. You are my princess, you are my mate." Vancha laughed and I heard the two of them laughing with each other before I couldn't take anymore.

I ran down the tunnels, not flitting, just running. Who would I tell that could give me some comfort? Darren? No, he would never look at either of them in the same way again. Harkat? No, he was a little person, I didn't think they understood love in the way we did. The closest person to where I was, was Seba - no, not Seba. I kept running through the tunnels, my heart pounding and my head dancing with exhaustion, sickness and just plain anger, regret and foolishness. Larten, I would talk to Larten, tell him about what I saw and the two of us could move out tonight and Vancha wouldn't have to come with us.

"Larten!" I panted out of breath as I thumped my fist against his door. "Larten...please." I whispered before dropping to the floor, too out of breath to even stand as I slumped against the wall. Soon enough, I drifted off and slept through the rest of the day with ease, waking at night to find Harkat crouching over me, his giant emerald eyes staring at me as I shot up from the floor, brushing myself down.

"Are you...okay?" Harkat asked and I nodded at the little person, looking around at the empty corridor.

"We just found her asleep outside your door; I think she has been there all night." I heard Darren say in the distance and soon, Larten and him appeared from around the door.

"Lucy?" Larten looked puzzled and I stood wondering what to say.

"I need to talk to you Larten, it is urgent." I whispered and he nodded, leading me into the room as Darren and Harkat walked away.

"What is troubling you?" He said and I didn't know how to put it lightly.

"Last night, I was making my way to see Vancha but once I approached his room I..." I searched endlessly for the words to come to my mouth, "Vancha was there with Arra, they are mates." I shouted and Larten stared at me with his mouth wide open, clutching a glass of blood in his hands.

"Is this true Lucy?" He questioned darkly as he sat down on a chair behind the desk I was facing.

"Would I lie to you Larten? Would I make something like this up? I know you still have feelings for Arra." I whispered and from my comment he almost choked on the sip of blood he had taken, "and you must have noticed the way I have acted around Vancha."

"Aye, I have." He mumbled and I saw the realisation in his eyes that he knew I wasn't lying.

"What should we do?" I said softly.

"Would you prefer to continue the journey with me and not Vancha?" He asked solemnly, knowing that it would be a harder task with just the two of us.

"Can Darren and Harkat come?"

"It could be a risk but it is better to have more fighters than less." He nodded and stood up, ushering me to the exit. "We leave soon, tell Darren and Harkat they are coming with us but do not mention anything about Vancha." I nodded and ran down the tunnel before Larten called out to me again, "and stay clear from Vancha, try not to make contact."

So this was it, I was leaving for a life threatening journey with one of my closest friends but I was leaving the other behind. I'd told Darren and Harkat and the four of us left the mountain without a trace, knowing that I couldn't even look at Vancha anymore.

"Are we not waiting for Vancha?" Darren asked as Larten and I began to walk away from the mountain.

"Vancha is not coming." Larten mumbled and I strode on with my head held high, Larten looking at me to see if I needed comfort but I remained strong.

"Why not?" Darren questioned again.

"You would not understand if I told you." Larten whispered and Darren followed with Harkat reluctantly. We'd made good time, pacing through the not so strong snow storm and walking past the cave where I was 'supposedly killed.' This was going to be an eventful journey.


	4. Finding Steve - The End Is Near

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of Darren Shan's characters or work so infragmentation to copyright is accidental._

_I only own the character of Lucy._

_Lyrics: In The End - Black Veil Brides_

* * *

_Through it all I have given my heart for a moment of glory_

_Who will remember this last goodbye_

_Cause It's The End_

_And I'm not afraid_

_I'm not afraid to die_

So this was it, we'd found Steve again by tracking the footprints in the snow. We'd found a cave much further on and we were standing inside by the entrance, Steve and Gannen on the other side, waiting for us to make a move.

I thought of Larten: I bet he wasn't scared of what we were about to face. Then I thought of Darren, he'd been so brave to get to where he was now - the trials of death which he was almost killed in, the panic of Gavner and Kurda helping him to escape the mountain so he wasn't hunted down and the pure fact that he'd become a prince from being a normal human before he found the Cirque Du Freak, stole Madam Octa from Mr Crepsley and ended up as his best friend's worst enemy! Finally, I thought of Vancha and I wanted to get the thought out of my head as soon as possible.

"You do not look fit to be part of this battle Lucy." Larten noticed as I snapped out of my daydream.

"I...I do not know if I am." I stuttered weakly as Steve's evil eyes pierced through me. Larten leant close and whispered in my ear.

"Go."

"I cannot, I am here, I must continue." I held my head high and pushed past Larten and came face to face with Harkat.

"You will not do this...alone. We will be...here to help you." The little person nodded as he breathed heavily between words like he usually did.

"I know." I sighed as I paced past Harkat, "that is what worries me."

"Lucy." Larten called as he ran up to me and grabbed my arm, spinning me into his gaze before he whispered very softly into my ear, "remember that you are the only one who can kill him, who knows what would happen if any of us did! Be careful." With that he let go of my arm and brought me into a hug which was strange for him, he seemed rather...worried for me recently.

"Larten, thank you." I whispered as I clung onto him tightly as he tried to let go of me. If I let go, I would be letting go of my life, I would be facing my death but I didn't want to let them down. Desmond Tiny knew what would happen if I died before Steve, I was sure of it so I didn't want their lives to fall in the hands of him, I wanted to kill before I was killed but I just couldn't let go of Larten.

He'd been there for me since I'd become a vampire - he _was_ the reason I became a vampire. We were just children at the time and Larten had killed Traz at the silk factory and I was the only one who had stood up for him. Ever since I'd stuck with him when he ran away from the town we grew up in, we'd been closer than two peas in a pod, he was like a brother to me and I knew he felt the same. We'd grown together, trained together alongside another assistant Seba had aquired named Wester and loved each other ever since. I'd stuck up for him and he'd stuck up for me but never did I imagine it would end up like this - that Wester was dead, Larten had gained a loyal assistant of his own, I'd fallen for another vampire and most of all - I was the only one who could kill the Vampaneze Lord.

I held onto the vampire and almost felt like crying but I had to be strong and composed like a real vampire - like Larten.

"We all get scared." Larten whispered as he held onto me once again, "but what you must remember is what are you scared of? The enemy or of yourself?"

"Myself." I nodded, "I am scared of myself because I do not believe that I can protect you."

"Your job is not to protect us; it is to win this war. You must remember your purpose else you will forget your conscience." I thought about what Larten had said for a while before a swift slashing of the air tore me away from him. I screamed as the pain singed at the back of my leg and I slumped to the floor, Larten cowering over me and examining the wound. It was a knife which was pierced deep into the flesh and I looked over at Steve who was smiling viciously, Gannen by his side with another knife in his hand.

I winced slightly as I rolled onto my side and half sat up on the floor, tightly holding onto Larten's hand.

"Go." I called as Darren and Harkat advanced across the cave to Steve, "Larten go, I am fine." He looked at me worriedly before squeezing my hand then letting go of it, running across the cave in the tracks of the others.

I examined the leg once more and gripped the handle tightly before bracing myself and finally yanking it out with a loud cry of pain. My blood stained hand dropped the knife and I fell back onto the ground, seeing Larten look back at me as my face began to screw up and my eyes began to water. Panting heavily, I lay on the ground, knowing that I had to stand up eventually. Like Larten said, I was the only one who could kill Steve. I sat back up in the same position, half way off the ground but still lying on my side.

Suddenly I could hear heavy footsteps, something that sounded like someone running and I looked over to see Vancha stood at the entrance to the cave before he spotted me and ran over. At that moment, I wished I could just run away but I knew I wouldn't get very far.

"Are you alright?" He panicked as he crouched over me and looked in shock at my leg.

"Never better." I grunted before flopping back onto the ground.

"You left without me."

"I know, I saw you with Arra." I whispered as I turned my head away from him, looking at Larten for help. He moaned and threw his hands on his head.

"I am so sorry; you are not going to forgive me are you?" He whispered and I shook my head before trying to get up from the floor.

"I have a mission to complete; love is the thing of fools Vancha." I clambered almost to my feet before falling over as he caught me and led me up. I tried to hold back the tears of pain this was causing me, clutching onto Vancha as I pulled myself to a standing position. "I cannot fight Steve." I cried bitterly, shaking my head.

"You must. To save all of us, the whole vampire race is counting on you." Vancha whispered as he held me closely, "why did it have to be you? You are too innocent to kill such evil."

"I knew I had to kill when I became a vampire, I just never imagined it like this. If I die, remember to tell Larten how much I have thought of him in my times of need, he was always there for me and I wish I could have been more like him. Larten is strong and courageous and I am exactly the opposite." I sighed as I tried to walk away from Vancha, limping slightly as my head swirled with the pain. "Steve!" I shouted as I stood strongly despite the blood still pouring from my leg. A sea of heads turned in my direction and everything went silent. Steve looked me straight in the eyes and I shuddered at him, turning my gaze to Larten who looked extremely worried for me, his hands shaking by his side. Harkat bowed his head at me and Darren also looked on anxiously as he stood close to Steve with a knife gripped tightly in his hand, the pure crimson blood dropping from the tip as the casualties of his blows lay dead amongst the crowd.

This was it; this was the final frontier between life and death, between Steve and me. Most people predicted Darren to be the one to have to kill Steve, some legend from Evanna of 'The Sons of Destiny' who would face off against each other. These rumours circulated amongst Vampire Mountain for a while because no-one ever thought we'd find the Vampire Princess - that was just a legend too. Now this really was the end and I wasn't afraid to die.


	5. Two Deaths Make An End

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of Darren Shan's characters or work so infragmentation to copyright is accidental._

_I only own the character of Lucy._

* * *

I could see it in Steve's eyes - the evil, the pain, the fear and the jealousy. He'd always wanted to be a vampire but Larten had tasted his blood, said it was bad and Steve had planned to strike him down ever since, of course along with Darren for supposedly 'taking his place' in the vampire world.

I tried to pace forward, losing grip with my feet every so often due to the blood still gushing from my leg. Knowing I'd die from blood loss if I kept going on like this, I paused and looked back at Larten and Vancha who were following my every footstep. Vancha was smiling at me wearily and Larten held a confident battle position, a short dagger poised in his hand.

Gazing back at Steve, I suddenly gasped as a knife was flying through the air at an intense speed. Nobody reacted to it quickly and nobody saw it coming but Steve was smiling in anticipation, hoping the knife would find its way to Larten but it didn't, it hit Vancha - right in the heart. He froze on his feet for a while and I could see his face change colour immensely fast until he looked like a ghost and dropped to the floor. I ran over, dismissing my leg and screaming at Vancha and then directing my gaze to Steve as I crouched by my friend.

"Vancha." I whispered as my face went almost as pale as his.

"Lucy!" Larten cried and I turned around immediately to see a knife slicing its way through the air, heading straight towards me. It closely missed the side of my head and I managed to grab it as it flew, shredding my hand as the blade struck deep into the flesh of my hand. Steve groaned angrily at both of his shots missing his desired object but nevertheless, he stood ready to fire another. As he was about to release his grip from the blade, he shook his head and started laughing to himself.

"I really don't have time for you pathetic lot!" He hissed and turned away with Gannen to exit the cave. Turning back to Vancha, he seemed weaker than ever but had enough strength to take the knife out of my hand and run his soft fingers across the blood. I winced and almost cried at both of my injuries but realised that Steve had done worse to me - he'd done this to Vancha.

Picking up the knife again, I stood and threw it as hard as I could at Steve and he didn't have the time to turn around before he was on the floor. Darren followed my lead and Steve was pierced with a second knife before Gannen ran for his life, leaving his Lord for dead. We waited in hope that he was dead and Steve fell to the ground before I paced over to him. Rolling him onto his back, I studied his face - he was still alive.

"Now it is your turn." I said coldly and summoned Larten to throw me the dagger which was placed in his hand. He tossed it carefully and I held it with strength before Steve cowered and I drove it straight through him, killing him instantly.

"You have done it...Lucy; you have killed...the Vampaneze Lord." Harkat breathed and the two vampires bowed their heads in respect to me. Then I could hear Vancha choking and I ran over to him again and Larten followed, crouching with me over the Prince.

"We have to get back to the mountain, Larten. Vancha needs help." I cried as a tear fell on my mentor's hand. He held me close to him and whispered to me something that made my heart drop so low that I thought I was in hell.

"I do not think he will make it that long, I am sorry." I held onto Vancha's hand tightly as his life begun slipping away and the blood starting circling inside his mouth as he began to cough more of it up. Darren and Harkat were close behind us, waiting for what came next.

"I am sorry." Vancha gurgled and his face went blank as the blood dripped to the ground and I cried into Larten.

"He meant that to me, didn't he?" I gazed up at Larten.

"Aye, it seems so." He whispered and leant forward to Vancha, brushing his fingers over his dead friend's eyes so they were closed. Then Larten tore a small square of fabric from his cape and wiped away the blood from Vancha's mouth where it immediately soaked through the red cape and made it an even darker shade of crimson. Scooping the prince up in his arms, Larten looked at me sadly. "I am sure the other princes would want to give him a respectable funeral." He whispered and I could see his eyes were bloodshot - he'd probably been crying silently into me as I cried into him but didn't want to show it. Then a stray tear of Larten's fell onto Vancha as he began to turn away but I rose to my feet and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"There is no shame in crying, Larten. We travelled with Vancha all those years when we left the mountain, do you not remember? When Wester-." I stopped and couldn't force the words, the mention of Wester caused me pain and I knew it did to Larten even more, "I am sorry, Larten, I forgot." I cried weakly as I gazed around to Darren and Harkat who were also in the state of tears, Harkat's emerald spheres dropping green tears onto his robe.

"We all feel...your pain. No need...to hide it." Harkat mumbled and I looked back to Larten who smiled at me thankfully.

"You cannot act hard all the time." I chuckled softly and began to walk to him before the pain in my leg flared up again and I clutched it painfully.

"You will not make it to the mountain if you are travelling on that leg." Larten noticed and I nodded, holding back more tears from Vancha and the pain.

"I can carry her, the snow has probably died down and we could flit back." Darren said as him and Harkat paced closer to us. Larten nodded and I climbed onto Darren's back.

"Harkat and I shall walk. Tell Paris of the news of the Vampaneze Lord and Prince Vancha."

With that, Darren sped off and we flitted back to Vampire Mountain before Seba saw to my leg and hand and we told him the stories of how I had killed the Vampaneze Lord.

"Wow, you are a brave one to get injuries like this and still stand strong. I knew good would come of my assistants." Seba smiled but I wasn't in a good mood to smile back.

"Which ones, Seba, which assistants?" I said coldly and Seba looked up in sadness at me, no-one had spoken of Wester Flack in years - he was a traitor and Seba didn't like reminding.

"Darren, you seem awfully sad considering what you have just accomplished." He turned away from me and changed the subject of speaking, "of course you would be sad because of the Lord being your friend at a younger age."

"That is not troubling us; I could not care less for Steve right now." Darren muttered and Seba looked back at me, confused but continued wrapping bandages around my hand.

"I presume the triumphant vampires should be arriving soon with the little person." Seba commented as he finished his work and let me walk around on the leg for a while.

"You could say that." I whispered before sweeping out of the room as my cape blew backwards and trying to adjust to the bandages around my leg. I starting crying again as I saw from a far distance, Larten and Paris talking with each other. Harkat was also standing by them and he noticed me before running down the corridor towards me.

"Paris has knowledge of Steve and Vancha then." I commented as I leant against the wall of the corridor with Harkat, watching Larten try not to cry as he spoke with Paris.

"Yes, Vancha is...having a funeral...tomorrow." I'd never forgive myself for some of the last things I said to Vancha, how his last words were 'I am sorry' and I knew he really meant it, to waste his breath on me. All of us had suffered badly from this and the Vampaneze Lord had been killed at the cost of a prince - the prince I loved.

This was my story - of love found and lost, of victories won at a cost.

I am the Vampire Princess and I have to live the rest of my life knowing Vancha is dead. This was the end of all war between vampires and vampaneze; this was supposed peace - to everyone except me.


	6. The Final Chapter

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of Darren Shan's characters or work so infragmentation to copyright is accidental._

_I only own the character of Lucy._

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"I know this will be hard for you, Lucy, I am sorry." Larten whispered as he stood close by my side at Vancha's funeral. All of his closest friends were there and the princes strode up one by one to throw dirt into the grave; first Paris as the elder, then Arrow, followed by Mika and finally Darren. Paris gave a speech before everyone walked away except Larten and me.

"If anything, it should be me comforting you although I know that will not happen anytime soon." I smiled weakly at him and he threw his arm around me as we sat by the grave.

"And why is that? Why are you not expecting me to be in need of comfort?" He smiled and I could see a playful spark coming to his eyes.

"Because you are tough." Hitting him in the side softly, I continued to look deeply into his eyes and tell him the truth, "you are strong and I am not." I sighed.

"I have had my fair share of battles in the past too you know. I had to run away from my family because I was a murderer; you think I have not looked back at how afraid I was when Seba found me eating cobwebs to survive! You were there, you would know!" He chuckled and I smiled slightly, thinking of everything we'd been through in the past. "You call a murderer a strong person?" He continued and I shook my head.

"Traz's death was not your fault, you stood up for what was right. It was the adrenaline of the moment, Larten and that does not make you a bad person and you know that, you know I stood up for you in that factory for a reason."

"That was just the first one, what about all the other deaths? Everything else in my past that has haunted me." He spoke softly now and I could see that he was thinking deeply of his wrong doings - thinking of Wester.

"Wester lead you on, Larten. As much as I know how hard it was for you that night in New York, it was a pitiful attempt to get you to hate the Vampaneze." I started to cry and so did Larten but I held onto him tightly and continued, "Alicia." I simply said and the cold, bitter tears dripped down Larten's cheeks as they did on mine.

"I am sorry, Lucy, you were always there for me and you would never have betrayed me like that. I knew Wester was troubled when Murlough killed his family but I never-." He wheezed as his words grew more pained and the tears dropped around him.

"Larten." I whispered before I put my hand in his and held it loosely as he looked at me wearily, "you must forget the bad things in the past that make you seem bad and think of the good things in the past that make you seem good. Even in the future you will continue to do good, I never doubt you for a moment because I want to be like you. I know you well enough to know you are not a bad person, you have done the most good in your life out of everyone I have ever met, everyone makes mistakes, even if they do turn to death but the truth is, you are not as bad as you think you are and I respect you beyond what you can imagine for the strong vampire I know you are." I could see Larten thinking it over for a while and smiling proudly to himself. He held my hand tighter as we sat with our legs dangling over the edge of the grave.

"See, that was you comforting me." He smiled, "but nothing could ever be as strong as when you had that knife slashed right through your leg yet you still managed to get up and kill the Vampaneze Lord. That really was something I respected you for, you are a warrior and you should know you are better than what you think you are."

"You and me both then." I laughed and stood up, pulling Larten up with me and looking down to Vancha, "goodbye my friend, even in death may you be triumphant and may your soul be carried to Paradise."

I walked away with Larten and told him to tell me tales of him and Vancha from years ago, of course I'd already heard them but I wanted to keep his spirit alive as long as I could. Though I would never forgive myself for his death. Every day I would look back and think I could have done something to stop it from being him - that my senses reacted faster than they did, that Vancha was still alive.

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_Okay, so that's the end of the story and I know it's not very long but still. It's also my first full story on here cause I usually write one shots so I really enjoyed this one! I'll also be making a prequel to this based on 'The Saga of Larten Crepsley' but after I write another based on what would happen if Larten became a general .  
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_So yeah, I hope you enjoyed this fic and I will continue to write more based on 'The Darren Shan Saga/Cirque Du Freak' or 'The Saga of Larten Crepsley' and thanks for reading!_

_Please review! xx_


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